I have a cordless phone in my townhouse. I think my neighbors are listening to my calls. What can I do?

Buy a new cordless phone. Older cordless phones use an analog signal to send information between the handset and base station. The only thing a snooper needs to do to eavesdrop is get a radio receiver on the right frequency and get close enough to your house to pick up the signal. It’s not so hard to do. The newest cordless phones use DECT (stands for Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications). This adds encryption and also changes the wireless frequency to 1.9Ghz to avoid interference with Wi-Fi, microwaves and other cordless phones. Hackers have cracked DECT, but it requires an expensive, high-end radio and other special hardware and software. Your neighbors aren’t going to have access to that kind of gear.

We bought a new TV and the sales guy insisted a $50 surge protector to go along with it. I saw a $5 power strip that looked like the same thing. Was the sales guy trying to rip us off?

It’s true that some home theater accessories are way overpriced, but in this case you do want the more expensive option. A surge protector keeps your sensitive electronics safe from the regular electrical spikes that are part of any household, along with the rarer large surges. Cheap power strips usually do include some protection, but in the end they really aren’t going to do much. You want a surge protector rated for at least 1,500 joules.

I heard you say on your national radio show that your son plays Minecraft. Mine does too, just all the time. Is anything positive coming out of this game?

There are a few things that make the hours playing Minecraft a little more bearable. It does build creativity. Some things Minecraft players have built are truly staggering: massive vehicles, intricate skyscrapers, working analog computers, and even the entire country of Denmark exactly to scale. Kids also learn patience, perseverance and teamwork.

I depend on hotel Wi-Fi when I’m traveling, but it’s so hit or miss. Is there a way to know how good a hotel’s Wi-Fi is before I book a room?

I feel your pain. Check out Hotel Wi-Fi Test and OpenSignal to see Wi-Fi speeds for specific hotels and locations. You’ll want to check both because one might have a location the other doesn’t. Of course, if you’re in a bind you can always tether your laptop to your phone and take advantage of your cellular signal. You might find your cellular speed is more consistent in many cities than Wi-Fi.

I’m upgrading to a new smartphone. My old one works OK, but it’s getting a little slow and doesn’t have the newer features I want. I found that I wouldn’t get much money by selling it. Is there anything else I can do with it?

There are so many things you can do with an older smartphone or tablet. You could turn into a security camera with free apps like Salient Eye (Android) and Manything (Apple). Make a tablet a digital photo frame with the free apps Dayframe (Android) or Digital Photo Frame (Apple).

For her daily tips, free newsletters and more, visit her website at Komando.com. Email Kim Komando at techcomments@usatoday.com.